Improvement in holdbacks



B. E. SPE RRY.

Improvement in Hold-Backs.

No. 131,036. Patented Sep.3,1872

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BURTON E. SPERRY, OF AURORA, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT m HOLDBACKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 131,036, dated September 3, 1872.

Nature of the Invention.

This invention relates to an improvement in the fastening for securing the holdback-strap to the thill of a vehicle and the invention consists of a hawk-bill hook to be attached to the thill, in connection with a peculiarly-shaped cockeye attached to the strap, as will be more fully hereinafter explained; the object being to prevent the fastening from disengaging so long as the traces remain hooked, but to allow of its immediate and ready disengaging when the traces are unhooked or broken.

In the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this specification,Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the fastening, and Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the cockeye partially in section.

Like letters of reference in the severalfigures denote like parts.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the same with particularity, making use, in so doing, of the aforesaid drawing by let ters of reference thereto.

General Description.

In the said drawing, A represents a portion of a-carriage-thill. B is a plate of metal secured to the thill by means of screws, indicated in dotted lines. From this plate rises a hook, G, pointing toward the front of the thill.

' In front of the bi ght of the hook 0 there rises from the bed-plate a rounded eminence, or projection, D. E is the cockeye, to the shank F of which is attached the holdbaok-strap, while lines in the drawing said eye is incapable of passing out between the projectionD and hook C, but may be readily removed when in the position shown by dotted lines at Fig. 2. The first position is that occupied by the eye when the horse is harnessed to the vehicle. When the traces are unhooked, however, and the horse started ahead to clear the thills, the cockeye is turned over by the holdback-strap into the second position and frees itself from the hook. Below the rear end of the plate B I place a bit of leather, rubber, or felt, or similar material, H, which is brought up over the plate, and secured by passing through it the screw h, which fastens the plate to the thill at that end. The shank of the cockeye falls upon this when in position, and considerable wear is thus prevented, and the rattlingwhich would otherwise be caused by the contact of the metal avoided.

My invention may be adapted to fastenings for securing the holdback strap to the hames, and also to sin gle-tree and trace-hooks. In the latter case the base B should be so shaped as to be readily attached to the end of the singletree, and the greatest width of the bight of the cockeye made in a line at right angles to the plane of the eye, so that when the eye is lifted vertically to the base it will pass out between the hook and projection.

Claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combinationof the cockeye E, made with its bight at g broader in one direction than the other, having the line of greatest width inclined, the hook O, and projection 1), all constructed, arranged and operating as and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination, with'the base B, of the buffer H, as and for the purpose'specified.

' B. E. SPERRY.

Witnesses A. G. MoDoLE, I. N. Bron. 

